On Yarn!, his first true album as a band leader and composer, trumpeter Ian Cleaver offers a fresh perspective on swing and jazz, a dynamic entanglement of tradition and innovation. Inspired by the phrase “telling a yarn,” the title carries layered meaning: it evokes the art of storytelling and the way musicians communicate. Through their improvisations, rhythms, and melodies, they share stories, drawing inspiration from each other and their surroundings, creating a fusion of worlds and perspectives.

Ian Cleaver may now be a prominent figure in New York’s vibrant jazz scene, but his roots are firmly planted in Amsterdam, where he grew up, studied and shared the stage with Dutch greats such as Ack van Rooyen, John Engels en Han Bennink. At the Manhattan School of Music he also honed his craft under the guidance of jazz legends, for example Buster Williams and Jon Faddis. In his current quintet he forms the frontline together with saxophonist Ben van Gelder, who also moved to New York from The Netherlands.

Ben van Gelder alto sax, Ian Cleaver trumpet, Timothy Banchet piano, Steven Zwanink bass, Willie Bowman drums